Miniature cameras are well known. Miniature cameras are widely used in contemporary cellular telephones. They are also used in other devices, such as laptop computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Miniature cameras can even be used as stand alone devices for such applications as security and surveillance.
Contemporary miniature cameras, such as those used in cellular telephones, are fixed focus cameras. That is, the focus of the cameras is preset. The camera has a small enough aperture so as to provide sufficient depth of field such that focus is generally acceptable over a wide range of distances. However, such stopping down severely limits the camera's use in low light conditions.
Variable focus necessitates the use of movable optics. However, movable optics suffer from inherent disadvantages. For example, the resolution provided by movable optics can be less than optimal, unless the optics are properly adjusted. Of course, adjusting the optics so as to enhance resolution likewise enhances image quality. Therefor, it is desirable to provide a method and system for adjusting the resolution of a miniature camera, such as an autofocus camera suitable for use in cellular telephones and the like.